Register for air conditioning

ABSTRACT

An air conditioning register including a plurality of adjustable slats coupled to respective pinion gears. The pinion gears may engage with a rack gear so that a linear motion of the rack gear translates into a rotational motion of the pinion gears. A driving gear coupled to a shaft may be used to drive the rack gear. The shaft can be driven by a manual tool of suitable length, or by electrical or electronic methods. The manual tool and/or electronic methods may be so designed that a user can rotate the shaft without being in close proximity to the register.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment and, more particularly, to an HVAC register having one or more gear-driven adjustable slats.

2. Description of Related Art

Heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) units are used in residential, industrial and office buildings, and in marine environments such as aquariums, where humidity and temperature must all be closely regulated whilst maintaining safe and healthy conditions within. The HVAC units are usually designed to provide thermal comfort, acceptable indoor air quality, and reasonable installation, operation, and maintenance costs. These units can provide ventilation, reduce air infiltration, and maintain pressure relationships between spaces.

Such units commonly include multiple registers for air distribution. The registers supply conditioned air from air ducts to various zones within a room. Typically, a register may have fixed slats or louvers that provide constant air flow, or adjustable slats to adjust the airflow to the various zones. Constant airflow registers are used when temperature control for individual zones is not required. On the other hand, when the rate and direction of airflow need to be controlled, registers with adjustable slats are used.

In the registers with movable slats, the slats can be manually adjusted by operating a lever. However, this requires the person adjusting the slats to be in close proximity to the register. This can be a problem, especially in cases when the register is installed at a considerable height from the ground, such as on the ceiling of a room, or near the top of a wall.

SUMMARY

In one embodiment, an air conditioning register includes at least one adjustable slat coupled to at least one pinion gear. The pinion gear may engage a rack gear such that a linear motion of the rack gear translates into a rotational motion of the pinion gear. The rack gear may be driven by a driving gear coupled to a shaft. In one embodiment, the shaft may be driven manually. In another embodiment, the shaft may be driven by at least one powered actuator.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of the disclosure and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the accompanying drawings wherein similar or identical reference numerals represent similar or identical features and components.

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary register for air conditioning having adjustable slats;

FIGS. 2 a, 2 b and 2 c illustrate different perspective views of the register;

FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of the register from yet another perspective;

FIG. 4 illustrates the register placed in a frame according to one embodiment of the current disclosure;

FIG. 5 illustrates a register coupled to a frame according to one embodiment of the current disclosure;

FIG. 6 illustrates a perspective view of the register coupled to the frame;

FIG. 7 illustrates an isometric view of a subassembly that may be used to control the operation of the gears;

FIG. 8 is a front view of the motor and mounting bracket illustrated in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a side view of the motor supported on a mounting plate by a mounting bracket;

FIG. 10 illustrates an exemplary heating, ventilation, and air conditioning unit with multiple registers according to one embodiment of the current disclosure; and

FIG. 11 illustrates an exemplary heating, ventilation, and air conditioning unit with multiple registers and multiple controls according to one embodiment of the current disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following discussion, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention may be practiced without such specific details. In other instances, well-known elements have been illustrated in simplified form in order not to obscure the present invention in unnecessary detail. Additionally, for the most part, specific details, and the like have been omitted inasmuch as such details are not considered necessary to obtain a complete understanding of the present invention, and are considered to be within the understanding of persons of ordinary skill in the relevant art.

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a register 100 in an exemplary embodiment. The register 100 includes a plurality of gear-driven adjustable slats 106A, 106B and 106C, collectively referred to as 106 hereafter. One of ordinary skill in the art would understand that the number and configuration of the slats 106 may vary depending on the particular application in which the register 100 is used. For example, the register 100 would generally comprise one or more slats 106 and the configuration of the slats 106 may be straight or curved.

The register 100 includes a hollow frame 104 that includes a horizontal back mounting plate portion 144 with lateral frame portions 102, and transverse frame portions 120, 122 bridging the lateral frame portions 102.

Each of the slats 106 may be pivotably mounted to one of the transverse frame portions, such as frame portion 122, at one end. At the other end, each slat may be coupled to a pinion gear, such as 108A, 108B and 108C, collectively referred to as 108 hereafter. Thus, an axis of each slat may be parallel to the lateral frame portion 102. This structural arrangement may cause the slats 106 to rotate when the pinion gears 108 rotate. The pinion gears 108 can be rotated by a rack gear 118 through a first set of gear teeth 116 present on a first face of the rack gear 118.

The rack gear 118 can engage with a driving gear 110 through a second set of gear teeth 124 on a second face of the rack gear 118. In the embodiment shown, the first set of gear teeth 116 on the first face of rack gear 118 are adjacent the second set of gear teeth 124 on the second face of rack gear 118. Alternatively, the first set of gear teeth 116 and the second set of gear teeth 124 may be disposed on opposing faces of rack gear 118. The rack gear 118 slides over the frame of the register 104 when moved by the driving gear 110, and may be supported by a suitable structural feature such as a set of guides 119. A shaft 112 may be supported by a bearing assembly 134 and coupled to the driving gear 110 such that a rotation of the shaft translates into a corresponding rotation of the driving gear 110.

In operation, when the shaft 112 rotates, the driving gear 110 rotates correspondingly. The rotating driving gear 110 drives the rack gear 118 in a linear direction. The rack gear 118 engages with and rotates the pinion gears 108, causing the slats 106 to also rotate. On rotation, the slats 106 may control the airflow by changing the direction and rate of air being circulated.

In one embodiment, to open vents to a particular setting using the slats 106, the shaft 112 can be maneuvered in a clockwise direction. Inversely, to close the vents using slats 106, the shaft 112 can be maneuvered in a counter-clockwise direction.

The shaft 112 can extend in a direction that makes the shaft 112 easily accessible. For example, the shaft 112 can extend vertically downwards from a ceiling register. In other embodiments, the axis of the shaft 112 can be oriented at an angle or vertically relative to the register 100.

In one embodiment, an electric motor 126 or any suitable powered actuator may be electrically connected to an external control unit such as a wall fixture (not shown) or a remote control unit 130. The remote control unit 130 may include an Infra-Red (IR) receiver 136, radio frequency (RF) antenna 132 or some other type of wireless link as would be apparent to one skilled in the art. The remote control unit 130 may be coupled using wiring 128 to the electric motor 126. The electric motor 126 may be externally mounted to and supported by a horizontal back mounting plate portion 144. The remote control unit 130 can be used to rotate the drive shaft 112 to which is coupled the rotating driving gear 110. The drive shaft 112, driving gear 110, rack gear 118 and pinion gears 108 provide a quick and safe mechanism to control the slats 106 and alter the airflow entering a room.

FIGS. 2 a, 2 b and 2 c illustrate different perspective views of the register 100. FIG. 2 a illustrates the top view 200 of the register 100, while FIGS. 2 b and 2 c show the front view and a side view.

As described above, each of the slats 106 may be pivotably mounted to the frame member 122 at one end via couplings such as rods 202 a, 202 b, and 202 c, collectively referred to as 202 hereafter. The other end of each of the slats 106 may be coupled to the pinion gears 108 via couplings such as rods 204 a, 204 b, and 204 c, collectively referred to as 204 hereafter.

The pinion gears 108 can engage the rack gear 118 via the first set of gear teeth 116 present on the rack gear 118. The rack gear 118 can also engage to the driving gear 110 via the second set of gear teeth 124 present on the rack gear 118. When the driving gear 110 is rotated, for example by the shaft 112, the driving gear 110 may cause the rack gear 118 to move in a linear direction. The linear motion of the rack gear 118 translates into a rotary motion of the pinion gears 108 and further into a rotary motion of the slats 106.

FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view 300 of the register 100 from yet another perspective. This is a perspective view of the mechanism by which the slats 106 in the register 100 can be moved. The perspective view 300 illustrates how the second set of gear teeth 124 present on rack gear 118 engage the driving gear 110 and the first set of gear teeth 116 present on rack gear 118 engage the pinion gears 108. The perspective view 300 also illustrates how the slats 106 are coupled to the pinion gears 118 at one end via the rods 204 and to the frame 122 at the other end via the rods 202.

FIG. 4 illustrates the register 100 placed in a frame in an exemplary embodiment. The frame 400 can be any vent frame known in the art.

FIG. 5 illustrates a register 506 coupled to a frame 514 in an exemplary embodiment. The register 506 is an exemplary implementation of the register 100 and can be coupled to the frame 514 at multiple points such as 502 a and 502 b, collectively referred to as 502 hereafter. One of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the location and the number of the points 502 may vary. In this embodiment, the shaft 112 may be manually maneuvered by a handle 540 or some other device or tool, such as a screwdriver, hexagonal key or Allen wrench, a ratchet drive or the like, coupled to the shaft 112. The handle 540 may be elongated and of sufficient length to avoid the need for a step stool or ladder to reach the register 506 and adjust the slats 106. Adjusting the slats 106 may entail moving the slats 106 in a direction that enlarges the register 506 opening and increases the flow of air through the slats 106, or moving the slats 106 in a direction that decreases the register 506 opening and diminishes the flow of air through the slats 106. The handle 540 may be coupled through the driving gear 110 to the shaft 112 by means of a screw, socket, bolt or other attachment means well known to one of ordinary skill in the art. The handle 540, driving gear 110 and shaft 112 assembly may be supported and secured to the register 506 by a mounting plate 142 that is attached to the register 506.

The frame 514 includes multiple louvers placed in various orientations, such as louvers 510 placed parallel to the slats 106 and louvers 508 placed perpendicular to the slats 106. It will be understood that the placement of the louvers 510 and 508 can be varied in other implementations. Further, the louvers 510 and 508 can themselves be movable louvers, or can be fixed louvers.

The frame 514 can be coupled to the register 506 at multiple points such as 504a and 504 b, collectively referred to as 504, present in the frame portion 512. It will be understood that the location and number of the points 504 correspond to the points 502 in the register 506.

FIG. 6 illustrates a perspective view 600 of the register 506 coupled to the frame 514 as may be visible to a user during operation of the register 506. The horizontally oriented louvers 604 and vertically oriented louvers 602 in frame 600 correspond to the louvers 510 and 508 in the frame 514 respectively.

FIG. 7 illustrates a subassembly 700 that includes the electric motor 126, pinion gears 108 and rack gears 118. A mounting bracket 710 may support or house the electric motor 126 that may be secured to a horizontal back mounting plate 720. In operation, as the driving gear 110 rotates on the first set of gear teeth 124 on the rack gear 118, the rack gear 118 moves up and down. The pinion gears 108 that are engaged with the second set of gear teeth 116 rotate corresponding to the motion of the driving gear 110 and control the movement of the louvers 106.

FIG. 8 is a front detailed view 800 of a mounting arrangement for the electric motor 126 supported by the mounting bracket 710 and attached to the horizontal back mounting plate 720.

FIG. 9 is a side cutaway view of the mounting arrangement for electric motor 126 as depicted in FIG. 7. The electric motor may be attached to the mounting plate 720 using attachment means commonly known to one skilled in the art. The mounting bracket 710 may be attached to the horizontal back mounting plate 720 and secured to the motor 126 at the bearing assembly section 134.

FIG. 10 illustrates a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system 1000. System 1000 includes a central air handling HVAC unit 1010 and an associated HVAC controller 1020. The central HVAC unit 1010 may be operational to provide conditioned air to one or more interior environments or zones through supply registers 1050. Air leaves an interior environment zone and is returned to the central HVAC unit 1010 through return register 1060.

The HVAC controller 1020 includes switches and indicators well known to one of ordinary skill in the art to electronically engage and directly control the internal mechanisms and functions of the HVAC unit 1010. The HVAC unit 1010 and HVAC controller 1020 may be part of a single modular unit using common housing. Alternatively, the HVAC unit 1010 and HVAC controller 1020 could be separately located from each other.

The registers 1050 may be coupled to HVAC controller 1020 via respective control channels 1090 A-D. The control channels 1090 A-D may be any wired or wireless electrical control medium including, but not limited to, optical, copper wiring, infrared (IR) light or radio frequency (RF) or other suitable media. It must be noted that one supply register 1050, one return register 1060 and/or a plurality of supply registers 1050 and return registers 1060 may be situated in one interior zone, or a plurality of interior zones depending on customer configuration. Supply registers 1050 and return register 1060 may include louvers (not shown) that may be removable or built-in.

In operation, the central HVAC unit 1010 distributes conditioned air through supply ductwork 1040 and delivers the conditioned air through at least one supply register 1050 that may be situated in an interior location. The air of the interior location may be returned through a return register 1060 to the central HVAC unit 1010 through return ductwork 1070. System 1000 may configure the louvers of a supply register 1050 to adjust, i.e. increase or decrease, the flow of air through the register 1050.

In one embodiment, system 1000 includes a master thermostat 1030 unit that senses temperature. The master thermostat 1030 unit may include a switch that controls heating and/or cooling modes of operation. Master thermostat 1030 unit electronically couples to the HVAC controller 1020 through control channel 1090M and controls the operation of the HVAC controller 1020. The control channels 1090 may be wired, wireless or other suitable type of electrical control media. The HVAC controller 1020 operates the central HVAC unit 1010 and the register 1050 louvers, corresponding to the master thermostat 1030 unit setting.

For example, the master thermostat 1030 unit may be set to 75 degrees Fahrenheit (75° F.). Through its control channel 1090M, the master thermostat 1030 unit may control the HVAC controller 1020 operation and run the HVAC unit 1010 until the thermostat 1030 senses conditions at its location have achieved the desired temperature setting. The HVAC controller 1020 may also control the louver opening of supply registers 1050 through control channels 1090. The HVAC controller may open or close the louvers of the registers 1050 to increase or decrease the flow of air through the register based on the 75 degrees Fahrenheit setting of the master thermostat 1030. Once the setting is achieved the HVAC controller may close the register louvers. The master thermostat 1030 unit may be mounted to a wall or situated at some other location and may be operated manually or by remote control.

FIG. 11 illustrates another embodiment of a HVAC system 1100 with thermostatically controlled registers 1150. System 1100 includes central HVAC unit 1110, an associated HVAC controller 1120, at least one air supply outlet register 1150 and at least one air return register 1160. Supply registers 1150 A-D and return registers 1160 may include louvers (not shown) that may be removable or built-in. The louvers of the supply registers may adjust to increase or decrease the supply of air through the registers.

System 1100 may include a master thermostat 1130 unit electronically coupled to the HVAC controller 1120 through control channel 1190M. System 1100 may also include one or more slave thermostats 1170 A-C electronically coupled through respective control channels 1190 A-C to a respective supply register 1150 A-D. The control channel 1190 may be wired, wireless or other suitable type of electrical control media. One of ordinary skill in the art should understand that the system 1100 may be configured to include multiple slave thermostats and each respective slave thermostat 1170 A-C may control one or more supply registers 1150. The slave thermostats 1170 A-C are preferably located within the same zone as the supply register 1150 A-D it controls or may be located in some other nearby or accessible location. The slave thermostats 1170 A-C and the master thermostat 1130 may be operated by manual or remote control.

In this embodiment, the HVAC controller 1120 operates the central HVAC unit 1110 in dependence on or corresponding to the master thermostat 1130 unit setting. The supply register 1150 louvers are adjusted in response to a setting of a slave thermostat 1170 to which it may be electronically coupled.

For example, the master thermostat 1130 unit may be set to 75 degrees Fahrenheit (75° F.), and the HVAC controller 1020 may run the HVAC unit 1110 until the thermostat 1130 senses conditions at its location have achieved the desired temperature setting.

A zone that is controlled by a slave thermostat 1170 may be configured to set its own desired temperature to regulate the temperature of its specific zone of operation. For example, although the master thermostat 1130 unit may be set to 75° F., slave thermostat 1170A may be set to 65 degrees Fahrenheit (65° F). When the 65° F. temperature is reached in the zone controlled by slave thermostat 1170A, slave thermostat 1170A may completely or partially close the louvers of supply register 1150A through its control channel 1190A to maintain the desired temperature by sealing the zone to prevent any additional conditioned air from entering or by reducing the flow of conditioned air from the HVAC unit into the zone. Similarly, the other slave thermostat units, 1170B, 1170C may have temperature settings that are the same or different from the master thermostat 1130 unit setting. Each slave thermostat 1170 B,C may also control the opening or closing of the louvers of a respective register 1150 B,C,D through a control channel 1190 B, C depending on its temperature setting.

Having thus described the present invention by reference to certain of its preferred embodiments, it is noted that the embodiments disclosed are illustrative rather than limiting in nature and that a wide range of variations, modifications, changes, and substitutions are contemplated in the foregoing disclosure and, in some instances, some features of the present invention may be employed without a corresponding use of the other features. Many such variations and modifications may be considered desirable by those skilled in the art based upon a review of the foregoing description of preferred embodiments. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the invention. 

1. A register with a mechanism for changing orientation of a slat, the register comprising: a slat coupled to a pinion gear; a rack gear that engages the pinion gear; a driving gear that drives the rack gear; and a shaft that couples with the driving gear.
 2. The register of claim 1, wherein the rack gear engages the pinion gear via a first set of gear teeth on the rack gear, and further wherein the driving gear drives the rack gear via a second set of gear teeth on the rack gear.
 3. The register of claim 1, wherein the pinion gear comprises a semi-circular gear.
 4. The register of claim 1, wherein the slat comprises a curved blade.
 5. The register of claim 1, wherein a rotation of the shaft translates into a corresponding rotation of the driving gear, which in turn drives the rack gear linearly and rotates the pinion gear.
 6. The register of claim 5, wherein the rotation of the pinion gear translates into a corresponding rotary motion of the slat coupled to the pinion gear, and further wherein the rotary motion of the slat changes an orientation of the slat.
 7. The register of claim 6, wherein the rotary motion of the slat further changes a direction of air flow through the register.
 8. The register of claim 1, wherein an axis of the shaft lies in a plane perpendicular to a plane of the driving gear.
 9. The register of claim 1, wherein a free end of the shaft engages with a manual tool via a coupling.
 10. The register of claim 1, further comprising an electronically controlled actuator that remotely rotates the shaft.
 11. The register of claim 1, further comprising a hollow frame having a lateral frame portion and a transverse frame portion bridging the lateral frame portion, wherein one end of the slat is pivoted towards the transverse frame portion, and another end of the slat is coupled to the pinion gear.
 12. The register of claim 11, further comprising a grille frame coupled to the hollow frame.
 13. A register for controlling air flow comprising: a hollow frame having lateral frame portions and transverse frame portions bridging the lateral frame portions; at least one slat, wherein one end of a slat of the plurality of slats is pivoted to one of the transverse frame portions, and another end of the slat is coupled to a pinion gear such that an axis of each slat is parallel to the lateral frame portions; a rack gear that engages, via a first set of gear teeth, with the pinion gear coupled to the slat and, via a second set of gear teeth, with a driving gear; and a shaft that couples with the driving gear such that a rotation of the shaft translates into a corresponding rotation of the driving gear, which drives the rack gear linearly to rotate the pinion gear that rotates the slat.
 14. The register of claim 13, further comprising a grille frame coupled to the hollow frame.
 15. The register of claim 13, wherein a slat comprises a curved blade.
 16. The register of claim 13, wherein the register is a ceiling register.
 17. The register of claim 13, wherein the axis of the shaft lies in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the driving gear.
 18. The register of claim 13, wherein the free end of the shaft engages with a manual tool via a coupling.
 19. The register of claim 13, further comprising an electronically controlled actuator that remotely rotates the shaft.
 20. The register of claim 13, wherein rotating the shaft in a clockwise direction increases air flow through the register and rotating the shaft in an anti-clockwise direction decreases air flow through the register.
 21. A heating ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) system, the system comprising: a central HVAC unit; a controller associated with the HVAC unit; at least one supply register electronically coupled to the controller; and a thermostat electronically connected to the controller and the at least one supply register, wherein the register comprises louvers that adjust depending on a setting of the thermostat.
 22. The HVAC system of claim 21, wherein the thermostat is operated by remote control.
 23. The HVAC system of claim 21, wherein the register louvers are removable.
 24. A heating ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) system, the system comprising: a central HVAC unit; a controller associated with the HVAC unit; at least one supply register electronically coupled to the controller; a master thermostat electronically coupled to the controller; and a slave thermostat electronically connected to the at least one supply register, wherein the at least one register comprises louvers that adjust depending on a setting of the slave thermostat.
 25. The HVAC system of claim 24, wherein the slave thermostat setting is remotely controlled.
 26. The HVAC system of claim 24, wherein the register louvers are removable. 